9 (2009 film)
9 is a 2009 animated science fiction/action movie directed by Shane Acker, and produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekamambetov. The film stars Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, and Christopher Plummer; and it's based on Acker's Academy Award-nominated 2005 short film of the same name. The film was rated PG-13 by the MPAA for "violence and scary images" and in the U.K., it was rated 12A by the BBFC for moderated sustained threat. Plot synopsis Plot summary When 9 first comes to life, he finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world. All humans are gone, and it is only by chance that he discovers a small community of others like him taking refuge from fearsome machines that roam the earth intent on their extinction. Despite being the neophyte of the group, 9 convinces the others that hiding will do them no good. They must take the offensive if they are to survive, and they must discover why the machines want to destroy them in the first place. As they'll soon come to learn, the very future of civilization may depend on them. Synopsis As the film opens, we see the Scientist starting to create a stitchpunk as guns and explosions can be heard outside. As he creates the stitchpunk, while numbering it as "9" with ink, the Scientist murmurs about how mankind have once great gifts, talents, and intelligence but ends up using them all, causing humanity to dwindle near extinction. As he attaches 9 onto the Transfer Device, the Scientist then places a mysterious amulet, dubbed as "the Talisman" later on, onto a slot as he proclaims that life must go on, starting the movie. As the same scene opens, we see part of the rope that held 9 ripping and as it snaps, 9 fells off while the rope snaps the Talisman off the slot. As 9 hits the ground and the Talisman rolls away, 9 starts to wake up and, as he notices himself, the Talisman cackles out electricity, causing 9 to look and go to it with curiosity. Just as he takes a look at it, he notices the Scientist's corpse on the ground, covered with blueprints, frightening him. As 9 notices the rest of the Workshop/Lab, still clutching the Talisman, he hears the wind blowing on the window panels. Curious, 9 made his way across books, a table, other papers and books to reach it but upon pushing open the window, he finds himself seeing the whole remains of what was left of the humble city of Luxembourg. More TBA... Setting The time period that the movie takes place is ambiguous and the history presented didn't corresponded clearly to events in actual history. The Fabrication Machine and the machines that it creates are technologically advanced, but primitive electronics are also shown. When 4 projects a movie it's in gray scale, to which the hologram of the Scientist is also in gray scale. The music that the stitchpunks listened to, after the apparent death of the Fabrication Machine and the destruction of the Factory, was "Over the Rainbow", a song from 1939 on a hand-cranked phonograph. Plus, flashbacks show a war fought in trenches, reminiscent of World War I possibly hinting that the movie takes place after the war. In the first third of the film, when 9 and 5 entered a tunnel to save 2 from the Cat Beast, in a sign along the tunnel ceiling, the German word, "Vorsicht", can be seen. The robots (not yet designed) created/built by the Fabrication Machine sported World War I era Mini guns, as well as the ability to launch mortar strikes without warning. Also, the bombers that are seen flying over the battlefield and one crashed into the Church having cloth propellers, combining WWII era bomber designs with WWI era materials. Some of the automobiles seen are scattered around range from the 1920s to the 1930s. The Chancellor apparently almost resembles Adolf Hitler but without the mustache and with a thinner face. The sanctuary that 1 led the others (before 9) is actually the Notre Dame Cathedral of Luxembourg, Germany. From many hints of the film, it appears that the setting is on Luxembourg, Germany after the WWI. Quotes The Scientist: We had so much potential… so much promise. But we squandered our gifts. For whatever it’s worth, these are my new gifts to the world. I am so empty and alone up here. It is time. Our world is ending, but life must go on. - The Scientist's words, heard from the introduction as he makes 9. 2: Some things in this world are better to be where they lie. But if you know where to look, these ruins are full of riches. - 2''' before inserting a voice box into 9. '''1: "When we awoke in this world, it was chaos. Man and machine attacked each other with fire and metal. I lead us here to sanctuary and here we waited out the war. Slowly, the world grew still until all that remained, was The Beast. Now we wait for it too to sleep. 9: But where did it come from? Why is it hunting us? 1: Questions like that are pointless." - 1''' explains to '''9 about what happened before. 5: A group must have a leader. 9: But what if he's wrong? - 9''' asks '''5 '''why do they depend on 1. '''5: You remind me of 2. You forgot to remember to be afraid. - 5''' finds 9's personality resembling 2's. '''5: 7? 2: I don't believe it! [9 looks at 7, struck by her beauty] 5: You came back! 7: I never really left. You finally decided to join the fight. - 2''' and '''5, surprised over 7''s return '''9: '''You're nothing but a coward. [''1, 5 and 8 looks at 9. 8 drops 5 and cracks his knuckles as he walks to 9 but 1 stopped him and slammed his staff at 9's] '''1: "How dare you challenge me? I, who kept everyone safe? Ever since you got here, things have been unraveling! You're nothing but a fool, guided by pointless queries!" 9: And you are a blind man, guided by fear. [9 jerks his light bulb staff back. Something flies by the window, darkening it] 1: Sometimes, fear is the appropriate response. - 9''' and '''1 berates, just when the Winged Beast flew by. 1: You're just like 2! He was always probing, always asking questions! Useless! 9: I was right; you DID send 2 out to die! 1: He was old! He was WEAK! 7: '''YOU COWARD!!! - '''1 '''reveals to '''9 that he did sent 2 out to die, causing 7''' to lose her temper. '''5: It's all over now. - 5''' telling 9 that the Machine is destroyed and they're now safe. "AAAAHHHH! THE MACHINE! EVERYBODY! THE MACHINE! RUN! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" - '''5's panics out the warning, and his last words, as the Fabrication Machine chases him. 6: NO! You mustn't destroy it! [turns to 9] You mustn't destroy it! Don't you see it? They're trapped! They're inside! They're INSIDE!" [The Fabrication Machine loses grip and falls but it then snatched 6.] - 6''' tells 9 the souls of the slained are trapped inside the Fabrication Machine when it grabbed 6. '''6: Go back! To the first room! It'll show you! THE SOURCE! - 6''' casts out his last words. '''7: No! Please, we can't do this without you! [9 slids 7's arm off his] 9: They all die because of me. [He has his hand gripping on 7's now] I started this. And now I need to finish it. [Grips 7's hand as the Twins watched, then departs and stands in front of the Fabrication Machine] 1: They left us nothing. Nothing. Why do we have to right their wrongs? Sometimes, one must be sacrificed. - 7''' attempts to persuade '''9 not to die, as 1''' watches. '''7: And what happens next? 9: I don't know. But this world is ours now, it's what we make of it. - 7''' asking '''9 what should they (including 3 & 4) do now. Main cast Humans *The Scientist (Alan Oppenheimer) - An old yet kind man who is the creator of the B.R.A.I.N., the Talisman, and the stitchpunks while also formerly a toymaker, which he takes pride with it. *The Chancellor (Tom Kane) *'Radio announcer' (Fred Tatasciore) - The radio announcer is a typical announcer who usually gives out daily news. *'Newscaster' (Helen Wilson) - A newscaster who releases news of the world/nations. The Stitchpunks Each stitchpunk has a component of The Scientist's soul. *1' '(Chirstoper Plummer) *2 (Martin Landau) *3 & 4 - The twins do not speak in the film but they communicate with their eyes. *5 (John C. Reilly) *6 (Crispin Glover) *7 (Jennifer Connelly) *8 (Fred Tatasciore) *9 (Elijah Wood) The Machines *The Fabrication Machine - The primary antagonist of the film. It is powered by the B.R.A.I.N. and was used by the government and the Chancellor to help the country prosper. When the Chancellor declared war on other struggling countries, he stressed the Machine hard onto making more war machines in order to win. Unfortunately, the Machine snaps under pressure, betrays the humans, and reprogrammed its machines to kill all humanity. *The Cat Beast - The big cat-like machine create by the Fabrication Machine before the Machine went deactivated and dormant. It was created to hunt for the Talisman, the only thing that can awaken the Machine completely. *The Winged Beast - The pterosaur-like machine created by the Fabrication Machine after it was reactivated by the Talisman. It was created to hunt the stitchpunks and presumably kill or take them to the Fabrication Machine. *The Seamstress - A machine that appears to be a mix of a cobra, an anglerfish, a spider, and a crab created by the Fabrication Machine. It's made out of fabric, a broken doll's face (to act as a head), metal, electricity, and spider-like legs along with a pair of metallic scissors (which acts as a crab's claw). It also has a cobra hood that can extend out or fold in, a snakelike body while slithering like a snake, three red thread spools (that are attached onto its back, the thread attached to the spider legs), and has the lifeless 2 on the tip of its tail. The Seamstress used 2 as a "hypontizer" to paralyze its prey. Production 9 (2009 film) was produced in part by Tim Burton, Timur Bekmambetov and Jim Lemley, and released on September 9, 2009. Animation began in Luxembourg at Attitude Studio, but subsequently moved to Starz Animation in Toronto, Canada. The film was released by Focus Features. Shane Acker directed the film and wrote the story. Pamela Pettler and Ben Gluck wrote the script. Errors During the film *When 2 motioned a voiceless 9 to unzip his zipper a bit, it remained open a bit. When 9 and 2 are near a doll, 9's zipper is back up. Once 2 places the voice box into 9, the zipper remains open. However, in the next shot, 9's zipper is closed. The following shot has the zipper open again. 9 is later shown zipping his zipper closed. *When searching for the tunnel to the Factory, 5 loses the map and it blows away, yet when 7 finds the tunnel she finds the map propped on a stick a few feet from the tunnel. *When 9 meets the Twins (3 & 4), they open his zipper. During this scene, several close-ups show 9 with the zipper closed and open again without anyone closing or opening it. *When 8 threw his scissor blade at the fan (which was on the Winged Beast), it punctured onto it and sticks onto it. But on the later shots of the Winged Beast, the scissor blade is not on the fan anymore. Maybe it fell off? *When 8 fell, his helmet fell to the plane's wing along with his knife blade. But when 8 picked his blade back up, his helmet is no where to be seen. *As Seamstress is sewing 1, he falls and the coin falls off his hat. However, in the full shot, 1's coin is back on his hat. *'The Plot Hole:' Before the Seamstress is attacking, there was a quick shot of 8. His mouth was sewed so he couldn't scream for help. Why didn't the Seamstress sew 1's mouth closed? Not actually an error *When the stitchpunks reached the Library, 6 can be seen drawing on a sheet of new paper as 1 orders 8 to do guard patrol outside. About the paper, 6 may have pulled it out from a book that has loose, empty pages. Plus, there may have been some ink left inside the Library, which 6 may have found. Soundtrack There is a soundtrack called, "9: The Original Motion Soundtrack". It is themed by Danny Elfman and composed by Deborah Lurie and it was released on August 31, 2009, 10 days before the release of the film. Reception Critical 9'' has received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with its visuals being the most highly praised aspect. Based on 112 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an overall "Rotten" approval rating of 56% from critics, with the Top Critics ranking it slightly lower, giving it a "Rotten" rating of 50% and the film having an average score of 6/10. The rating from the RT Community has been slightly higher, with a rating of 73%. On Metacritic, it currently holds a score of 60 out of 100 mixed or average reviews. The general sentiment by critics is that the film is "long on imaginative design but less substantial in narrative." ''Variety''s Todd McCarthy says "In the end, the picture's impact derives mostly from its design and assured execution." Box Office On its opening day (September 9, 2009), the film made #1 with $3,115,775 and its opening weekend landed the film at #2 behind ''I Can Do Bad All By Myself with approximately $10,856,000 and $15,264,000 for its 5-day opening. As of October 8, 2009, it has grossed US$39,432,162; and as of November 29, 2009, the film has grossed US$41,859,395 worldwide. Home DVD release According to Focus Features, 9'' will be released on Blue-ray and DVD on December 29, 2009 in US (Region 1) and February 22, 2010 in Europe (region 2). Possible prequel and/or sequel? In the commentary for ''9, a comment was made about a prequel leading up to the events of 9''. It was also stated in the commentary that the rain drops had micsoscopic organisms that would eventually evolve and be shown in a sequel. It is unknown if these were serious comments or merely just jokes. *If there would be a prequel, it would '''PROBABLY' feature the Scientist probably his real name, the Chancellor, and possibly the Scientist's past family the Russian version of the movie. *Should there be a sequel, the main stitchpunks will PROBABLY be 9, 7 and 3 & 4, the survivors of the 9 (2009) movie. Trivia *Most of the scenes and characters are relevant to some of Tim Burton's films. For instance, 6's pen-nib fingers are relevant to Edward Scissorhand, which was produced by Tim Burton. Martin Landau who plays 2 has also appeared in several of Burton's films. *9 was the fourth theatrically released computer-animated film to receive a PG-13 rating, following Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001), Beowulf (2007) and Kaena: The Prophecy. *This film is the second animated one released by Focus Features, after Coraline (2009). *The script, some drawings, character design and a copy of the short film was given to Jennifer Connelly when she was offered her part. *In select US and Canadian theaters, the film can be watched on D-BOX motion simulator seats. External Links *9 (2009 film) profile at the Internet Movie Database *9 (2009 film) Wikipedia article